Dining Advice, Tips, Recommendations, and News
PrintWhere Alice Waters Should Get Her Tacos Next Time She’s in Chicago
Forget the taco trucks in Los Angeles and the green-chile spots in New Mexico, when it comes to finding the best regional Mexican dining outside of Mexico, Chicago ... is the best spot in America.
The cookbook pimps are out in full force. As is the case every fall, publishers aiming to capitalize on the Christmas shopping season and the subsequent loosening of foodie purse strings, release a trove of culinary related tomes and celebrity driven cookbooks. The authors of said cookbooks get sent on book tours, drop in on big food cities, sign some of their wares, and, depending on their celebrity, get courted in various media outlets and at hot local dining spots. As such, authors return the hospitality by giving a shout out to their hosts and friend’s restaurants in whatever city they are visiting. According to the Chicago Tribune’s excellent food blog, The Stew:
Alice Waters, owner of California's famed Chez Panisse restaurant, told us her favorite Chicago stops: " ... I always like to go have a taco at Frontera Grill."
and…
Fiona Beckett, the British food and wine journalist, at a recent book signing and tasting at The House of Glunz for her latest book "Food, Wine & Friends." Her top stop in Chicago? "Frontera Grill is pretty special,'' she said.
God bless Rick Bayless, chef-owner of Frontera Grill. Excepting Diana Kennedy, no one’s done more nationally to bring awareness to regional Mexican cuisine, and get America beyond chimichangas and burritos as big as their heads. They also make a pretty fine taco. Still, the consistent drumbeat for Frontera from writers flitting in and out of our city smacks a bit of bad culinary tourism. I expect the culinary tastemakers of this nation to be intrepid and focused on finding some serious under-the-radar eats instead of parroting something everyone already knows. Since she’s a Brit who probably doesn’t spend a lot of time in the Windy City, I’m willing to give Beckett a pass, but Waters? She’s been to Chicago many times, and as an idealist, a vocal proponent of the small guy, why isn’t she exploring our rich Latino neighborhoods, like Pilsen and Humboldt Park, in search of first-generation–run storefront taquerias committed to crafting everything from scratch?
Forget the taco trucks in Los Angeles and the green-chile spots in New Mexico, when it comes to finding the best regional Mexican dining outside of Mexico, Chicago, especially with regards to street food from the states of Jalisco, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Aguascalientes and the Distrito Federal (Mexico City), is the best spot in America. So with all due respect to Berkeley’s farm queen, Alice, here’s where you should try some tacos next time you’re in town.
Sol de Mexico
Mom may not be in the kitchen at this relative newcomer, but owner Carlo’s Tello’s Mother-in-law Clemintina Flores, most definitely is. She spends days handcrafting Oaxacan style moles including a grassy mole verde studded with roasted pumpkin seeds that accompanies crispy lacquered duck and house-made corn tortillas. 3018 N. Cicero Avenue, Chicago IL 60641 (map)
Maxwell Street Market
Almost every stand in this Sunday only street market has a good taco, but the mole rojo or red mole slathered pork tacos on charcoal roasted fresh made tortillas or the charcoal fired Tacos al Pastor (shepherd style pork tacos) slathered in spicy achiote and punctuated with a hint of oregano are the two best. Corner of Canal and Taylor Streets (map)
Taqueria Uptown
Speaking of Tacos al Pastor, the best in town (I know, I once 17 different tacos al pastor in one day to prove it) can be found on this shabby corner spot featuring fake adobe colored window coverings. In addition to all the usual spices, achiote etc, the vinegar tang on the spit roasted meat here sparks the most jaded tongue. 1144 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago IL 60660 (map)
Don Pedro Carnitas
With pig pictures and paraphanelia lining every square inch of this Pilsen neighborhood joint, this is a palace of all things porcine. At $6 bucks a pound you can get your fill of porky product, everything from fresh crackling skin to grilled offal to standard cuts of flesh. 1113 W. 18th Street, Chicago IL 60608 (map)
Birreria Reyes de Ocotlan
If you don’t care for pork, maybe Jaliscan style goat is your thing. The sign on the building says, "la mejor birria del mundo" or "the best birria in the whole world." It’s not an idle boast. Featuring tender goat meat steamed for six hours in its own juices along with smoky anchos and a dash of cinnamon, what is usually a stringy, rangy meat is transformed into super melt in your mouth hunks of goodness. Served with lime, cilantro and onions you can get your goat shredded in a steamy consomme-style broth or on top of fresh tortillas. 1322 W. 18th Street, Chicago IL 60608 (map)
Cemitas Puebla
Celebrating the melting pot nature of the state of Puebla, this spot melds the best of its Lebanese immigrants and its indigenous cultures with its taco arabe, a thick flour tortilla similar to a pita studded with oregano, garlic and chili slathered spit-roasted pork, caramelized onion, vinegar, smokey and chipotle salsa. If there’s any doubt about authenticity, feel free to accompany the owners, Tony Anteliz Jr and his father Tony Sr. on one of their monthly flights to Mexico where they procure stringy fresh queso from Chipilo, a small poblano village, as well as indigenous chilis from Oaxaca for the restaurant. 3619 W. North Avenue, Chicago IL 60647 (map)
About the author: Michael Nagrant writes for Serious Eats from Chicago, where he also publishes Hungry magazine. Michael never met an organ meat he didn't like. He hopes to meet many more.
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10 Comments:
right next to wrigley field is a great little dive of a burrito place (el burrito mexicano). dirt cheap. we're talking burritos the size of your head for $5. my partner loves the cubs, i tag along for the mandatory burritos.
lexophile at 4:46PM on 12/06/07
Michael, this is phenomenal! I'll be in Chicago over the holidays, and you just booked a day for me. Cheers!
Blake Royer at 5:03PM on 12/06/07
de cero has amazing tacos in west town (814 W. Randolph St). I recommend the battered shrimp and ahi tuna - they're my faves
TC1083 at 6:47PM on 12/06/07
We used to live right around the corner from Taqueria Los Mogotes de Michoacan #2 in the 4900 block of North Kedzie, and that place is hands-down my favorite taquiera in Chicago. A place almost as good is Taqueria el Asadero, on Montrose at Lincoln. A bit dingy-looking from the outside, but the food inside is excellent (and quite cheap!).
DuncanHusky at 9:05AM on 12/07/07
El Cid in Logan Square is rarely missed when I'm in Chicago. There's another location. We also like one of the La Pasadita locations in Wicker Park (olive salsa).
alktraz at 9:49AM on 12/07/07
Damn you, Chicago. First it's the pizza and hot dogs. Now you have the best street tacos too? That's insane.
They're pretty good here in LA (close to the source), so I'll be interested to taste them there the next time I'm in town.
philn at 11:07AM on 12/07/07
Why, oh why, did this list not exist when I lived in Chicago?! I went into every funky little taco shop I could find and was always met with bland met with the ubiquitous onions and cilantro. Damn it!
LizNYC at 11:30AM on 12/07/07
I think the author means Logan Square, not Humboldt Park. Humboldt is a great place to go for a jibarito or mofongo, but it's not known for its tacos. The enormous steel scupture of the PR flag that welcomes you to "Paseo Boricua" indicates that most people in the neighborhood do not trace their roots to Mexico. I live in Logan Square, where I think some of the best Mexican restaurants are. Mis favoritos: Sol de Mexico--I totally agree with the author. Everything is great, especially the avestruz. Fonda del Mar--amazing fish/seafood. Try the fish tacos or anything with mojo de ajo. Taqueria Moran--the tacos al pastor (adobado) are the best in the city. La Pasadita--mentioned in another post, I think the best carne asada tacos in Chicago. El Nandu is Argentinian, but it's a great steak and empanada place for very little $. While I'm hyping my neighborhood, I also think we have some of the best barbeque. Honey 1 (for ribs), Fat Willys (great pulled pork and chicken), Smoque (best brisket), and Leons (tips to die for) are all better than anything I had on the south side (not counting my grandaddy's ribs!).
loojou at 5:25PM on 12/07/07
Actually I do mean Humboldt Park in the sense that Cemitas Puebla is on the South Side of North Avenue, which puts it in Humboldt park. That being said, Humboldt Park is generally a Puerto Rican enclave as pointed out. Pasadita is excellent, their pastor and carne asada are spot on. Moran's adobado is very good, but it's not authentic pastor as the meat is grilled and not spit roasted. That being said, even if you consider it pastor, I'm willing to bet you they lose when compared with Taqueria Uptown. I agree with the BBQ assertions...amazing que in Chicago these days that breaks from the old school southside paradigm. Don't forget Barbara Ann's, Lem's, and Uncle John's though on the southside...
Michael Nagrant at 12:08AM on 12/08/07
I've heard there's also a new Mexican street food-style restaurant that recently opened in Humboldt, either on Paseo Boricua or near there. Anyone know the name of this place? Is it any good?
loojou at 11:59AM on 12/10/07